Fiestas & Siestas (Start Barcelona, end Madrid)

Booking Dates

06/29/2018 through 03/09/2019

Travel Dates

06/29/2018 through 03/23/2019

Provider

Contiki Vacations

Fiestas & Siestas (Start Barcelona, End Madrid)On the Fiestas & Siestas we’ll float through two of Europe’s finest countries, staying south where the nights never fizzle and the days can surely sizzle. We’ll commence in Spain’s beach side beauty then leg it north to find Bull Fest fame, before drifting into Portugal’s inimitable culture.

Barcelona

Welcome Dinner

Barcelona

Walk through the Gothic Quarter

Barcelona to Bilbao via Zaragoza

See the Church of Holy Pillar

Bilbao

See San Sebastian & Pamplona

Porto to Lisbon

Visit Aveiro

Lisbon

Lisbon Sightseeing Tour

Madrid

City Tour of Madrid

Visit to the Royal Palace with included entry

Accommodation

For 11-nights you’ll be catching zzzz’s in twin or triple share rooms in homely Spanish and Portuguese hotels. If you prefer to sleep alone, you can splash some extra cash and upgrade your digs to single-share.

Food

From pastel de natas to tangy Gazpacho, the food of this region is A+. We’ll dish up the best of it and give you plenty of time to follow your own nose too.

Staff

You’ll be safe in the hands of your professional Trip Manager who knows the streets of Spain and Portugal better than you know the freckles on your knees. When it comes to transport, an experienced and legendary driver will be taking the reins; trust us, they’re always a hoot.

Barcelona

The airport for Puerto La Cruz in northeast on the Caribbean. Isla de Margarita is off the coast.

Bilbao

Bilbao, city and seaport in northern Spain, on the Nervión River, near the Bay of Biscay, capital of Vizcaya Province, in the Basque region. Bilbao consists of an old section, lying on the right bank of the Nervión, and a modern section, dating from the late 19th century, on the left bank. Several bridges connect the old and new sections. Several railroads and highways and an international airport serve Bilbao. One of the major industrial centers of Spain, the city is within a large iron ore-mining region. The chief industries are shipbuilding and the manufacture of cement, chemicals, foodstuffs,
iron and steel, machinery, paper, and textiles. Bilbao is an important seaport, and iron ore, grain cereals, and wine are major exports. The chief imports are coal and timber.

The Semana Grande is a major annual bullfighting event in Bilbao each August. The city has several churches, among them the Gothic Church of Santiago, dating from the 14th century. It also has a number of museums, with collections ranging from archaeological finds relating to the history of the Basques to modern works of art. Among its educational
institutions is the University of Deusto (1886). The author and philosopher Miguel de Unamuno y Jugo was born in Bilbao.

Lisbon

Portugal is for explorers. Its valiant seamen first charted the Azores, discovered Japan, and unlocked the major sea routes the world over. Now you can share the anticipation they must have felt as you explore this exciting city.

You’ll discover an 8th-century Moorish castle, quaint cafes and a palm-studded coastline. The Alfama district is a maze of narrow, twisting streets, whitewashed houses, flowered balconies, archways, terraces and courtyards that charm your socks off. (And if you can find your way out of this dizzying array, 20th-century Lisbon is just as intoxicating.)

Of course, if you’d rather play by the sea, the Portuguese Riviera lies just outside town, offering something for everyone, from sun, sand and surf to thrilling casinos. Lisbon is a vast garden abounding with flowers and tropical plants. The city’s appeal lies in the magnificent vistas from its many belvederes and in the tree-lined avenues and squares decorated with mosaic pavements.

Madrid

Madrid, the capital and cultural center of Spain, is a lively and exotic spot for a vacation.

Salamanca

The province of Salamanca is situated in the Southwest corner of Castile & León on the border with Portugal. Lying on Spain’s Northern Plateau (west-northwest of Madrid), it forms part of the Duero river system, with a landscape of pastures, dotted with trees and bushy undergrowth.

Many a writer has espoused the beauty of the area: stands of holm- and cork-oak, the thorn encloures, the slate walls and stone markers. The rural romance of Salamanca still endures to this day in the countryside (Campo Salmantino) — a terrain of pastures, of extensive grazing, where ranching coexists in perfect harmony with the local plants and vegetation.